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ACR Update,
July 2008
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WELCOME TO ACR UPDATE—the monthly e-newsletter sharing important conflict resolution news and organizational updates with ACR members. Your feedback is welcome! |
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To view past issues online, go to: http://www.acrnet.org/publications/acrupdate.htm |
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ACR Receives $10,000 Grant for Youth Conferences
ACR has received a $10,000 grant from the JAMS Foundation to conduct regional youth conferences in conjunction with the Association’s annual conference in 2008 in Austin, Texas and its 2009 conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The youth conferences will have facilitated discussions and training sessions for youth peer mediators and peer mediation program coordinators.
The conferences will be designed to build long-term commitment in peer mediators by connecting them with other peer mediators in the region. They also will help connect participants to successful adult mediators attending the ACR annual conference.
School-based mediation programs are typically isolated to a single school, even though the program may be district wide. It is anticipated that bringing young people together with their peers and with adult role models will expand their understanding of and interest in the field. It also is expected that those experiences will lead to greater confidence in their peer mediation work and ultimately show them a clear career path.
As ACR pilots these conferences, the Association also will develop planning materials to share with ACR chapters to help them conduct youth conferences as regular chapter activities.
ACR Joins in Amicus Brief to Fight for Protection of Confidentiality for Mediators
ACR recently joined New York State Dispute Resolution Association, the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation, and the Family and Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York in an amicus brief related to a trial court’s refusal to quash a subpoena that could have impacted a mediator’s privilege and confidentiality. Below, Prof. Robert S. Thaler discusses the Court of Appeals decision in Richard M. Hauzinger v. Aurela G. Hauzinger (http://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/decisions/jun08/jun08.htm) and its effect upon the intermediate appellate court’s decision that caused much concern for New York mediators.
The Court of Appeals
decision in Hauzinger is case specific, and rests upon the fact that
the mediator’s agreement to mediate form included a confidentiality
“opt out” provision that stated if both parties to the mediation
consented to waive confidentiality, the mediator could then
communicate with any third party about the mediation and release
documents. The Court of Appeals held that as a factual matter, the
husband in the case had executed a waiver releasing the mediator
from confidentiality (prior to joining the mediator’s motion to
quash the wife’s subpoena for the mediator’s testimony). Implicit in
the wife’s subpoena was a waiver of her confidentiality. The Court
therefore ruled that where both the parties to mediation waived
confidentiality and the agreement to mediate allowed for such a
waiver, then the mediator’s assertion of confidentiality was without
merit.
Building Widespread Public Awareness of Conflict Resolution and Its Many Advantages
The Association for Conflict Resolution is working to achieve high visibility for our profession as the representative national voice and leader in the field. Your partnership in this effort will help generate interest, understanding, demand, and appreciation for conflict resolution.
In response to a call from ACR, conflict resolution professionals have shared numerous tools and activities being used to successfully educate the public about our profession. Take advantage of these resources to help others understand the important work you do. If you have resources to add, e-mail Audrey Rothstein, Director of Communications, at arothstein@ACRnet.org.
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ACR Member Co-Authors New Publication
ACR member Craig E. Runde has co-authored, with Tim Flanagan, a new book titled, Building Conflict Competent Teams. The publication explains how team conflict often begins, offers methods on how to handle conflict effectively, and makes specific suggestions on how to harness the upside of conflicting ideas and viewpoints.
Both Runde and Flanagan are employed by the Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College. Runde is director of the Center for Conflict Dynamics, and Flanagan is the director of Custom Programs. For more information, go to http://www.eckerd.edu/news/index.php?f=detail&id=25233.
ACR Member Delivers Commencement Address at University of California, Riverside
ACR member Forrest (Woody) Mosten delivered the commencement address at the University of California, Riverside on June 15, 2008. Mosten told the students that society must learn to deal with conflict “in a non-combative way, starting on this (UC Riverside) campus, in our neighborhoods, in the workplace, in our churches and synagogues, and in every aspect of our lives.” He shared with the students a peacemaker’s pledge: “I will think about peace every day, why peace is important and how it works. I will use my peacemaker efforts to manage (and) resolve conflict, prevent conflict, and to maximize peace: in my family, in my university, in my job, in my community, in society and throughout the world. I will be an active pursuer of peace, even when aggression and power appear to offer me quicker and bigger personal success.” The full text of the commencement address can be read at http://www.chass.ucr.edu/conference/Mosten/annual_lecture/2008/PEACEMAKER_PLEDGE.pdf Mosten is an ACR Advanced Family Practitioner Member, ACR Approved Trainer, and Chair of the ACR Peacemaker Museum Taskforce. He is an alumnus of UC Riverside which has established the Forrest S. Mosten Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies Annual Lecture and Internship Initiative. http://www.chass.ucr.edu/conference/Mosten/index.html.
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Call for Article Proposals ACResolution Magazine Winter 2009
ACR’s winter 2009 issue of ACResolution magazine will focus on the topic of Diversity.
We seek proposals from people who would like to write articles on any aspect of diversity, such as serving a diverse clientele, barriers to practice encountered by diverse practitioners, conflict resolution among diverse cultures and populations, enhancing knowledge transfer from diverse practices, etc. We also seek diversity in authors and subject matter; authors do not have to be ACR members.
If interested, please:
Send your proposals via e-mail to ACResolution at publications@ACRnet.org as soon as possible, but no later than September 9, 2008.
An editorial advisory committee will review the proposals and choose 2 or 3 major features and 2 or 3 minor features. All authors will be notified by mid-September. If selected, completed articles will be due to ACR by November 3, 2008.
For more information about ACResolution, please visit http://www.ACRnet.org/publications/acresolution.htm.
The editors of ACResolution also seek department articles for the magazine. Regular departments include Balancing Act, Member Milestones, Learning Matters, Diversity Practices, Up Close, World Views on ADR, Periscope, Perspectives on Practice, and Book Reviews. For descriptions of these departments and submission information, visit http://www.acrnet.org/publications/acresolution.htm or contact publications@ACRnet.org. |
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ACR's 8th Annual Conference
in
a Changing World" http://acrnet.org/conferences/ac08/index.htm
DON'T MISS THE MAJOR EVENT OF THE YEAR FOR PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Keynote speaker Lee H. Hamilton will address the future of American involvement in Iraq and the Middle East. He will discuss the current state of affairs in Iraq. What the United States can do to improve the situation. How the next president should apply all the tools of American power. The challenges the next president will face, and the importance of engaging and respecting the American people in the conduct of foreign policy.
Mr. Hamilton is president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and director of The Center on Congress at Indiana University. He is a former member of Congress, co-chair of the Iraq Study Group and vice-chair of the 9/11 Commission.
New Online Registration!
Early Bird Registration Deadline: August 1, 2008 ACR Members Save $130 Register online with secure credit card processing. Visit the Conference Homepage for more information or Register Now! For scholarship and registration discount information, click here.
2008 Program Highlights Include:
Advanced Commercial Mediation Institute
Other highlights include:
Advanced Workplace sessions designed to interest experts in the field, but open to all conference attendees.
Over 100 workshop sessions and ACR Section meetings and events for interaction with colleagues in specific practice areas.
Networking events include the ACR Welcome Reception and Exhibitors Open House, Texas welcome event at Buffalo Billiards, and ACR Silent Auction and Sections Fiesta.
Presentation of the First Marvin E. Johnson Diversity and Equity Award to Reverend Mpho A. Tutu
For more information about the conference, visit http://acrnet.org/conferences/ac08/index.htm.
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Interested in nominating someone for an ACR award? The deadline for nominations has been extended to July 15, 2008 for the Mary Parker Follett Award, the John M. Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award, the Sharon M. Pickett Award, and the Peacemaker Award. To read more about these awards and how to submit a nomination, click here.
Association for Conflict Resolution 2008 Call for Award Nominations
ACR solicits nominations for the following awards, to be presented at its Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, September 24-27. Nominations should be submitted via e-mail by July 15, 2008 to Monet King at mking@ACRnet.org. Please include a statement, testimonial or curriculum vitae for the nominated individual.
Mary Parker Follett Award The Mary Parker Follett Award is presented to an individual who has shown a passion and willingness to take risks; is tackling a contemporary problem or opportunity in the field of dispute resolution; has used innovative and experimental techniques; and draws upon the talents and ideas of all persons involved. Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933) was an early advocate of resolving conflict by encouraging parties to integrate interests into negotiations. During the mid-1920s, Follett shifted her focus from community group processes to the field of business. Business leaders sought her advice on how to manage their enterprises, and she became a featured speaker at national and international business conferences. Her talks were drawn together and published posthumously in the influential book Dynamic Administration. Send nominations to Monet King at mking@ACRnet.org by July 15, 2008.
John M. Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award The John Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award is presented annually to a prominent and internationally recognized leader in mediation who demonstrates personal and professional commitment to finding mediation solutions to conflict while balancing therapeutic and legal perspectives. John Haynes was a pioneer in the field of family mediation, a respected author and practitioner, an international trainer, and the first president of the Academy of Family Mediators. In keeping with his legacy, the candidate should demonstrate innovation, creativity, and outstanding competence in published writings, training, and practice, maintain personal and professional integrity and respect for others, and embrace a sense of humor and humility about our standing as fallible beings. ACR members are invited to nominate candidates for this award. Send nominations to Monet King at mking@ACRnet.org by July 15, 2008.
Sharon M. Pickett Award The Sharon M. Pickett Award was established in honor of Sharon Pickett who served as Editor of ACResolution from 2000 – 2007. In addition to serving as family mediator and trainer, Sharon worked for many environmental NGOs and is an ardent advocate for environmental issues. The award is presented each year to an ACR member who has advanced the cause of environmental protection through the effective use of alternative dispute resolution. Send nominations to Monet King at mking@ACRnet.org by July 15, 2008.
Peacemaker Award The ACR Peacemaker Award acknowledges the significant and sustained contributions by an individual or organization to the cause of peace. At its heart, the purpose of conflict resolution, and the goal of ACR, is to bring peace to troubled relationships, whether domestic, organizational, environmental or international. This award recognizes efforts to bring peace through various conflict resolution approaches to ethnic, religious, and civil conflicts that have raged domestically and outside United States. The Peacemaker Award was instituted in 2001. Send nominations to Monet King at mking@ACRnet.org by July 15, 2008.
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The annual membership meeting of ACR will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Austin Texas, at 7:30a.m. on September 26. In addition to informative reports from officers, several awards will be bestowed on deserving members. |
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ACR Teleseminar: Mediation and the Unauthorized/Unethical Practice of Law
Wednesday, July 30 at 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. EDT
Description: While most people agree that the practice of mediation does not necessarily constitute the practice of law, there are times when mediators engage in activities that may be considered the practice of law. Examples of this can occur when mediators write agreements, provide information or advice, complete court forms, complete child support calculations, etc. Join this ACR teleseminar to learn about activities that may raise concerns about mediators practicing law and how mediators can ethically practice mediation while minimizing the risk of UPL problems arising. The teleseminar will address the topic from both the perspective of the mediator who is not an attorney as well as the mediator who is also an attorney and will briefly highlight one UPL case that was recently brought against a mediator. Participants will also learn more about ACR's policy governing assistance to ACR members who may encounter UPL problems.
Presenters: Gregory Firestone, Ph.D., is director of the University of South Florida Conflict Resolution Collaborative, vice chair of the Florida Supreme Court ADR Rules and Policy Committee, co-chair of the ACR Legislative and Public Policy Committee and served as Official Observer (on behalf of AFM and ACR) to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) drafting of the Uniform Mediation Act. Sharon Press, J.D., is director of the Florida Dispute Resolution Center and serves as primary staff to the Florida Supreme Court Committee on ADR Rules and Policy, the Mediator Qualifications Board (grievance body), and the Mediator Advisory Ethics Committee. She chairs ACR’s Standards Committee and serves on ACR’s Legislative and Public Policy Committee. Sharon also served on ACR’s UPL and the Authorized Practice of Mediation Committee. Paula M. Young is associate professor at the Appalachian School of Law, a member of the ABA’s Standing Committee on Mediator Ethical Guidance, co-chair of the Ethics Advisory Opinions Database Subcommittee of the ABA Standing Committee, a member of the Virginia Mediator Review Committee, and author of “A Connecticut Mediator in a Kangaroo Court?: Successfully Communicating the ‘Authorized Practice of Mediation’ Paradigm to ‘Unauthorized Practice of Law’ Disciplinary Bodies,” 49 S. Tex. L. Rev. 101 (Summer 2008). The call in number for this teleseminar is 712-432-7302, pin number: 73984#. Individuals will be asked to say their names to get into the conference. Participants place themselves on mute by entering * 6 - which is star 6. Participants remove themselves from mute by again entering * 6 - which is star 6. |
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Plan Now for Conflict Resolution Day 2008!
Conflict Resolution Day will be celebrated (as always, on the third Thursday in October) on October 16, 2008. We have two areas of focus planned for this year:
o Hang a Conflict Resolution Day poster in your office. You can download the image from the web and take it to a copy shop yourself, or you can order the poster from ACR at http://www.acrnet.org/crday/index.htm. If you want to take it to the next level, hang the posters other places too! o Hold an Open House in your office to let people know about your services. You can have a specific drop-in time and serve coffee and tea or have a little program. Be sure to have plenty of information about yourself and your services available. If you want to take it to the next level, you can have a reception and send formal invitations. o Publicize your event and Conflict Resolution Day by writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or an op-ed piece. If you want to take it to the next level, request a meeting with the editorial board of the paper and try to get an editorial about the importance of peaceful conflict resolution.
Once you have an event planned, be sure to tell us so we can add yours to the list of 2008 activities: presss@flcourts.org or ARothstein@ACRnet.org
For more information, visit www.acrnet.org/crday/index.htm or contact Sharon Press, chair, at presss@flcourts.org |
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Save the Date The American Arbitration Association is again collaborating with the Commercial Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) to present an Advanced Commercial Mediation Institute. This year’s Institute will be held in Austin, Texas on September 24th & 25th. Attending the Institute will fulfill the 2008 and 2009 A.C.E. requirement for those neutrals that are also on the AAA’s Panel of Arbitrators.
This year’s Institute, titled Innovation in Commercial Mediation, is an educational forum designed to further develop advanced skills of professionals experienced in mediating complex commercial disputes. The program features an interactive environment facilitated by leading practitioners and educators in the dispute resolution and related fields. The two-day program is limited to 60 participants experienced in mediating complex commercial and business disputes so as to facilitate extensive interaction among participants and faculty.
The Family Section is anticipating a very strong turnout for its 2008 Bi-Annual Conference: Building Bridges, Moving Mountains. The conference will be in Park City, Utah over the dates of July 24-27.
For more information about the conference, including a full conference brochure with schedule and speaker/presenter info and a registration form, please refer to the NEW Family Section Website: www.acrfamilysection.org.
JOIN US FOR
INTERNATIONAL DAY AT ACR'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE!
New ACR Workplace Advanced Practitioners Announced The ACR Workplace Section’s Advanced Practitioner Review Committees are pleased to announce that two (2) ADR professionals have recently achieved Workplace Advanced Practitioner Designations. Monica Lichtenberger of Colorado Springs, CO has met the requirements of the Workplace Mediator Advanced Practitioner Designation and Lynne Marie Gomez of Bellaire, TX has met the requirements of the Workplace Labor and Employment Arbitrator Advanced Practitioner Designation.
Workplace Section Teleseminar "Understanding Conflict in Nonprofit Organizations" Presented by Jill Sarah Moscowitz Wednesday, July 23, 2008, 12:00 p.m. EDT, 9:00 a.m. PDT For more information contact: jill@moscowitzmediation.com
Conflict Coaching Subcommittee Thursday July 10, 2008, 5:00 p.m. - 5:55 p.m. EDT. The number to call (not toll free) is 712-580-8020, pin: 496839.
In response to the interesting dialogue on several previous Conflict Coaching Subcommittee calls, we will discuss the question "Does the practice of providing both conflict coaching and mediation raise ethical considerations?" For further information on the WPS subcommittee and/or to join ACR's conflict coaching yahoo group, please contact Cinnie at cinnie@cinergycoaching.com or 866-3356466 (toll free for Canada and U.S.).
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The Arizona Association for Conflict Resolution (AACR) is proud to announce its work with Project Civil Discourse to help organize and sponsor a half-day conference on September 18, 2008 entitled Can We Talk? Tools for Creating Civil Discourse. The program to be held at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix from 8:00-11:45 a.m. will be followed by the Arizona Town Hall annual luncheon. The keynote address on the topic of deliberative democracy will be given by Richard Reuben, James Lewis Parks Professor of Law at the University of Missouri School of Law. Eight exciting workshops are scheduled for the morning highlighting successful case studies and methods designed to promote collaborative problem solving. Several AACR members will be presenting including Art Hinshaw, Lynn Murphy, Dick Fincher, Carol Blackman, Kirk Emerson and Susan Bulfinch. The Arizona Town Hall Luncheon is scheduled for the same day -- Inspiring Innovation -- Creating Solutions with speaker Michael Waldman, former White House Chief Speechwriter and now head of the NYU Center of Justice. For more information, check the AACR website: www.mediate.com/acrarizona or www.projectcivildiscourse.org.
ACR GNY held its sixth annual conference, Building Bridges, on June 26-27. The Keynoter was former AFM President and active ACR member Robert Benjamin; 170 attended the Annual ADR Achievement Awards Luncheon where the awards were presented to 1) DuPont Legal for its strong commitment to ADR and 2) the Child Permanency Mediation Program, a partnership between New York City Family Court and the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The two-day conference also offered attendees sixteen workshops, an exciting World Cafe session with a focus on “Do we, as dispute resolvers, walk our talk?” and three post-conference training workshops.
Peter Maida, former ACR Board member and founder of the Key Bridge Foundation, will be the July ACR GNY Roundtable Breakfast speaker on July 10 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 899 Tenth Ave., Room 610, New York, NY. He’ll speak about communication dynamics in the workplace and offer tools for assessing, improving and facilitating more productive, effective communication, including a psychometric test which he has developed. For more information, visit http://www.acrgny.org/.
SAVE THE DATE!!! NOVEMBER 20 (evening) and NOVEMBER 21, 2008 MARYLAND'S SECOND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CONFERENCE “OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPACT”
SPONSORED BY THE MARYLAND CHAPTER OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION
HOWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE COLUMBIA, MARYLAND
Restorative Justice is a rapidly growing social movement that emphasizes accountability, healing, and reconciliation in response to harm done to individuals or communities. It encourages the involvement of all affected stakeholders in a process that makes things as right as possible, avoids repeated offenses and builds stronger communities.
Conference Goals:
Thursday evening, November 20, 2008 Join us for a circle discussion with Kay Pranis and Lauren Abramson
Friday, November 21, 2008 Anne Seymour, Keynote Speaker "Victim Focused Restorative Justice"
Saturday, November 22, 2008 LEARNING INSTITUTE: Restorative Justice 101 or “Everything You Want to Know about Restorative Justice (which can be answered in one day)” Facilitators Saleem Hylton and Phyllis Turner Lawrence Are there effective ways to respond to wrongdoing and crime in our communities, schools, workplaces and interpersonal relationships which address the needs of all stakeholders for true accountability and healing? Yes, restorative approaches in Maryland and across the globe are repairing harm and increasing community strengths.
This intensive and interactive seminar will expose you to the principles, values, and effective practices of the restorative approach. Victim-offender dialogue, community conferencing, and circles will be demonstrated and evaluated for their practical applicability to your circumstances and needs.
For further information, please e-mail: info@marylandrjconference.org or call Belinda Reed, MD Chapter, Association for Conflict Resolution, 240-338-8159. http://www.mediate.com/MarylandACR/
Conflict Resolution MN held its annual meeting and elections on June 24. We are please to announce that the first Conflict Resolution Annual Award went to Tim Hansen. Tim heads a restorative justice program within the MN Department of Corrections; for 8 years he has worked to facilitate healing for both the victims and offenders. His nominators talked of his compassion for people and his passion for his work. In his remarks he illustrated about how uphill it is even now after 8 years: He called one prison about doing restorative justice with one of the inmates there and was adamantly told by the staff “no we do not do that - if they start thinking about the impact of what they have done then we might have to deal with them acting out their remorse.”
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Did You Know? You can receive timely emails about job announcements as soon as they are posted at the ACR Career Center.
ACR offers an online resource designed to help qualified candidates find opportunities with employers in the conflict resolution field. Check out the newly posted jobs and while you are there, register for the automatic notification for future postings. Your new job could be posted at any time!
Start using the ACR Career Center to make your own career connections.
Job Seekers can… · post your resume – confidentially, if preferred – so employers can actively search for you · save up to 100 jobs to a folder in your personal account to apply at your convenience · receive automatic notification of new jobs matching your criteria
Employers can… · manage your job postings online and get activity reports in real-time · access the searchable resume database of targeted candidates · receive highly competitive pricing for job postings
Find more information on this exciting service at http://careers.acrnet.org/.
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Donate Now! You can make donations to ACR's Annual Fund Campaign online. Click here to learn how you can make an important investment in ACR's future.
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Parenting Coordination Training Offered by the Cooperative Parenting Institute September 11-13, 2008: King of Prussia, PA
November 13-15, 2008: Atlanta, GA Presenters: Susan Boyan and Ann Marie Termini, co-authors of The Psychotherapist as Parent Coordinator in High-Conflict Divorce: Strategies and Techniques. $400.00 Early Bird/$425.00 Full Fee Visit www.cooperativeparenting.com, call 404-315-7474, or email coparent@yahoo.com. |
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Advertise in ACR Update! Reach 5,500+ conflict resolution enthusiasts with your advertising message. A 10-line, 100-word, text ad costs just $150! For more information, contact ACR at tlankford@acrnet.org. |
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Encourage your colleagues and friends to join the Association for Conflict Resolution! Enjoy immediate benefits for you and your friends. Go to www.ACRnet.org and click “Join Now.” |
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As an ACR member, you are automatically subscribed to ACR Update. To unsubscribe from ACR Update, send an email to membership@acrnet.org, or log on to the Online Member Center, click on “My Profile,” then “Contact Groups,” and de-select “ACRUpdate.” |
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Association for Conflict Resolution |
SPECIAL
ONLINE OFFER! 
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